This invention is directed to a gas lighter with protection from children wherein an ignition mechanism is combined with means for neutralising of this mechanism being moveable between a neutralisation operating position in which they prevent initiating the ignition mechanism and a position where they allows such initiating, wherein said neutralising means are moved manually by a lighter user.
Lighters of the above type are known and disclosed in WO, No.A-90/00239 and EP, No.A-0357347 where means for controlling the opening of a burner valve consist of a rocking lever pivotally connected to a fixed axis of an orthogonal axis of the burner valve one end of which, in the shape of a horseshoe or an enclosure, is inserted under a flange of the burner valve, while the other end. or the staring end, is intended for a user to initiate the lighter, which user moves it in a direction of the lighter housing overcoming resistance of a spring, while spark deriving means are themselves independent or combined with the lever for controlling the opening of the valve, and in which ignition mechanism neutralising means are normally maintained in a neutralisation position and are arranged so as to automatically reset into the neutralisation position after the ignition mechanism has been initiated.
Lighters of the above type are known, WO, No.A-90/12254, in which ignition mechanism neutralising means consist of a button disposed under a staring end of a rocking lever, which button is moveable parallel to a longitudinal axis of this rocking lever between an operating position in which this button forms a protrusion with respect to the lever starting end and an unnoticeable position in which it is moved in a direction of the other end of the rocking lever, wherein this button is provided with means for guiding relative to the lighter housing.
According to this known technical solution, the button is horseshoe-shaped wherein each end of the horseshoe is made from an elastic material and bears a protrusion, a bulge, typically disposed under a skirt (casing) enclosing the staring end of the rocking lever so as to interfere with this rocking movement in the direction of the valve opening, wherein additional tapering inclined planes are provided on interior edges of sidewalls of the lighter housing and on button ends in order to cause reduction of a gap from their protrusions when the button moves in a removing direction so as to completely clear the path for the skirt of the rocking lever starting end, whereas the button and the outer rear edge of the skirt of the rocking lever starting end have additional inclined planes of the same inclination capable to cooperate during lowering of this end of the rocking lever to cause movement of the button in a reverse direction into the operating neutralisation position. It is easy to conclude that shape complexity of this button (pusher) and additional complexity of the lighter housing upper portion considerably increase its cost.
A lighter is known, U.S. Pat. No. A-4,832,596, in which control means for opening a valve comprise a rocking lever pivotally fixed on an immovable axis, orthogonal to a burner valve axis, of which one end is formed as a fork or enclosure and inserted under a flange of the burner valve, while the other end of which, or the staring end, is designed for a user to initiate the lighter movement, which user pushes it and displaces it in a direction of the lighter housing thereby overcoming the force of a back-moving spring, wherein spark deriving means are themselves independent or combined with the valve opening control lever, and wherein the ignition mechanism is coupled to means for neutralising this mechanism, consisting of a member moveable between an operating neutralisation position in which said member prevents initiation of the valve opening control lever, while having a portion disposed under a rear end activating this lever, and an unnoticeable removing position wherein said member allows this activation, whereby this member is moved manually by the lighter user from the operating neutralisation position into a position of neutralisation removal and typically is retained in the neutralisation position and, moreover, is arranged to automatically set in the neutralisation position after the ignition mechanism has been set into motion.
In this lighter, the moveable displaceable member comprises a member slidable and forward movably mounted on an upper edge of its housing, wherein this member is provided with a bent rear end typically located under the rear end, activating the control lever, wherein said bent rear end is arranged to move away beyond the rear end which moves the control lever into the neutral position of this member. In this lighter, the forward sliding member is typically retained in the operating position by the back-moving spring and is arranged to move into the neutral position by means of pressure exerted on its front end. Accordingly, during ignition of the lighter, it is necessary to hold the forward-moving member in the neutralisation position as the control lever is set into motion, which is not easy to effect using only one hand. On the other hand, due to the fact that this member is mounted to the side from the lighter head, this forward-moving member runs the risk of being broken or damaged. Finally, its returning into the operating position depends on the presence of its back-moving spring, while its also excessively projects beyond the housing, and there is the risk of it being lost and, consequently, it will cease to function which entails impossibility for the lighter to have the property of a lighter with protection from children.
A gas lighter is known, EP, 0482411, having a safety device intended to prevent the possibility for children to use the lighter and comprising a support member fixed on a housing which is a receptacle for liquidified gas, which support member comprises a platform provided with a hole from one edge for mounting therein a burner valve for gas emission, and provided with side ears with holes, a burner valve control lever mounted on the platform between the side ears and formed at one end together with a fork or enclosure to enclose with a flange a head of the burner valve, and with co-axially disposed axes located in the side ear holes, wherein the other end of the control lever, intended to be depressed by a user, is provided with a protrusion directed toward the platform, ignition means comprising a gearwheel rotatably mounted in the platform ears over the control lever, and a flint pressed by a spring toward this gearwheel, as well as a safety device including a cam member located in a platform socket and pressed by a spring mounted on the cam foot, and having a protrusion directed toward the control lever for end-to-end interaction with the lever protrusion, wherein the cam is pivotably mounted in the platform socket and is provided with a button projecting outside through a side hole in the platform, said side hole being a horizontally directed slit for accommodating the button in a control lever blocking position, wherein the cam and control lever protrusions are opposite to and face each other, whereby the horizontal slit is formed at one end with button through cut-out vertically directed toward the lever in a cam neutralisation position when its protrusion is biased relative to the control lever protrusion.
Although this lighter does possess the property of protecting it from use by children, design of the safety device does not fully meet the requirements of technological methods of production and convenience of assembling the lighter.
Thus, for example, in this lighter a spring is positioned between the bottom of a socket and a lower surface of the cam member. The lighter design uses a rotation spring whose ends must be secured to prevent turning of the spring when the cam member is displaced relative to the platform. When securing one end of this spring to a foot of the cam member presents no difficulties, securing the other end of the spring in the socket is a complex operation since it is only possible when the cam member is located in the socket but here the access to the spring is blocked. In this connection, the conclusion about low repair capability of the lighter is apparent.